Course Numbering System and Grade Point Average

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Course Numbering

Course Numbering is a system in which codes indicating various information, including the correlation among courses and levels of difficulty, are assigned to each course in order to simply and clearly represent the education curriculum so as to facilitate understanding of the curriculum structure. Tohoku University implemented this system for all faculties/graduate schools etc. from FY 2016 on.

What is Course Numbering?

Course Numbering is a system in which codes indicating various information, including the correlation among courses and levels of difficulty, are assigned to each course in order to simply and clearly represent the education curriculum so as to facilitate understanding of the curriculum structure.

The Purpose/Necessity of Implementation

By assigning codes and numbers to each course to clarify its difficulty level/characteristics, significance, and the sequence in which courses should be taken, students can understand which courses they should register for, the role of each course within the undergraduate/graduate curriculum, and each course's objectives.

We will be able to organize the education curriculum systematically and sequentially and familiarize the students with it, and by creating a curriculum map and other methods, it will be possible to check whether each course structure is suitable for the diploma/curriculum policy of the hosting faculty/school, whether the course subject fields are well-balanced, etc..

Coding Method

Course Numbering at this university will be organized as follows.

As a general rule, the codes will be fixed for each course, instead of being reassigned every academic year. However, codes may be reassigned in some cases, such as when there are major revisions in the course content.

However, when the Educational Records and Programs Committee of the Academic Affairs Council has approved exceptions based on special circumstances, such cases may be handled differently.

Course Numbering Code

Codes lists

Grade Point Average

GPA (Grade Point Average) refers to a method of evaluating student performance by calculating performance in each class using a specified formula. It is used mainly in Europe and North America. Tohoku University implemented this system for all students entering the bachelor curriculum from FY 2016 on.

Evaluation and the GP

GP (Grade Points) derived from grade evaluation (hereinafter "Evaluation"), as stipulated within the Regulations of each faculty, faculty internal regulations on enrollment and Regulations on Tohoku University General Education Subjects, shall be as provided in the table below.

Types of GPA and Calculation Method

There shall be two types of GPA: GPA as an index of academic status/performance during a particular semester (hereinafter "Semester GPA"), and GPA as an index of academic status/performance during the entire enrollment period (hereinafter "Cumulative GPA").

The formula for the Semester GPA and the Cumulative GPA shall be as stipulated in the following Items; in the calculation results, numbers beyond the second decimal point shall be truncated.

1. Semester GPA formula

2. Cumulative GPA formula

Agreement on the GPA System in the Tohoku University Undergraduate Program